Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition characterized by excessive body fat defined by genetic and environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting. Obesity increases your risk of developing related conditions such as type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and sleep apnea, to name a few.

Obesity In India

Obesity is a serious worldwide health epidemic and in India this has also reached epidemic proportions as 5% of the population is said to be affected by morbid obesity. According to an estimate 30 million people in India are obese, a number which is going to double in the next 5 years. We the people of India are getting access to processed unhealthy foods due to our continued integration in global food markets. The average calorific intake has also risen due to economic improvement among middle class and above income households.

Indian genetic makeup is such that we have a predisposition towards accumulating abdominal fat due to a single nucleotide polymorphism that has impact on waist circumference.

A healthy nation will pave way for great productivity and is critical for India’s growth story in the coming decades. Each one of us has our responsibility towards ourselves and the country. Being healthy will be one of the most useful contributions we could make for playing an active role in India’s development.

Obesity Symptoms

Obesity can cause following symptoms on a day to day basis :

Breathlessness

Increased sweating

Snoring

Inability to cope with sudden physical activity

Feeling very tired every day

Back and joint pains

Low confidence and self esteem

Feeling isolated

Causes Of Obesity

Obesity can result if you are consuming more calories that you can burn with your daily activities. If it happens over a long period of time results in accumulation of unwanted calories which will ultimately lead to weight gain.

Common causes of obesity can include :

Eating a diet comprising of foods high in unhealthy fats, carbohydrates.

Having a predominant sedentary lifestyle.

Having less sleep, which can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods.

Genetics, which determines how fast or slow you, can burn the food.

Getting older, which can lead to less muscle mass and a slower metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight

Pregnancy (weight that is gained during pregnancy can be difficult to lose and may eventually lead to obesity)

As per WHO review, factors like insufficient sleep, deviated sleep time patterns, endocrine disruptors (environmental pollutants that interfere with lipid (fat) metabolism) and chronic stress are also contributors to the phenomenon called Obesity.

Certain medical conditions may also cause weight gain. They are as follows :

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones leading to accumulation of weight.

Prader-Willi syndrome: A rare condition that an individual is born with which causes excessive hunger which results in more intake of food.

Cushing syndrome: A condition caused by having an excessive amount of the hormone cortisol in your system that leads to weight gain over a period of time.

Hypothyroidism: A condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones.

How Obesity Is Measured

Obesity can be measured by various techniques, but the most common methods being used are Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference.

Body Mass Index

BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in square meter (BMI = kg/m2). It is important to understand what a “healthy weight” is. Healthy weight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 19 and less than 25 among people above 20 years of age.

The World Health Organization uses a classification system using the BMI to define overweight and obesity.

BMI

Classification

Risk Factor

Less than 18.5

Underweight

Increased

18.5 to 24.9

Normal weight

Least

25.0 to 29.9

Overweight

Increased

30.0 to 34.9

Obese Class -I

High

35.0 to 39.9

Obese Class -II

Very High

40 or Higher

Obese Class -III

Extremely High

Waist Circumference

Waist circumference is a less-common method used to measure obesity in an individual. This simple measurement indicates obesity and morbid obesity in adults by measuring your waist. To find your waist circumference, you have to wrap a measuring tape around the area above your hip bone and below your rib cage.

For females, a waist circumference of 35 inches or greater is considered unhealthy. For men, a waist circumference of 40 inches or greater is considered unhealthy. There is no chart or range that specifies obesity, only the simple measurements are used as a parameter to determine obesity.

Complications Related To Obesity

Obese people are more likely to develop these complications after a certain time period :

Natural Fats can be consumed in moderation and they are important for good health and sound metabolism. Avoid processed fat like commercially available processed dairy products. Milk and homemade Ghee can be consumed. Avoid Fast Food. Also avoid processed oils. Virgin Oils are always better.

You should get your daily dose of proteins. Your diet should be rich in proteins and vitamins.

Avoid erratic timings for food consumption, as this ruptures body’s natural metabolic patterns and also enhances tendency to binge eat.

The role of sufficient sound sleep is a key factor.

Learn to manage stress and when stressed out, consume dry fruits or fruits before you head out for lunch or dinner, this will help you stay away from the tendency of binge eating due to stress.

Obesity and Weight Loss Treatment

I adopt a multidimensional approach for treating Obesity. I focus on changing the lifestyle and related factors of people affected with Obesity.

I perform a thorough assessment of the individuals, their medical history, lifestyle, personality, and their current life scenarios.

Based on the Assessment, I chart out a specific treatment plan that is holistic and an implementation calendar to yield tangible results and bring about a sustainable transformation.

Do you desire a healthy life?

I am on a mission to improve people’s lives by providing Health and Wellness related information in an easy to understand way.

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About Dr.Vishwanath

Dr.Vishwanath is a specialist in treating lifestyle diseases and medical conditions from the root cause with a holistic approach to wellness. Dr.Vishwanath has been successful in bringing back happiness into people’s lives through Therapeutic Fasting and focus on Wellness as a way of life.Know More

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Majority of the health issues I find today are directly in relation to the Lifestyle we lead. We cannot bring about any transformation in us when we stay ignorant about the causes behind these health issues and do not make lifestyle changes accordingly.